In its second recent act of LGBT-inclusive advertising, retailer JC Penney featured a real gay couple in an ad booklet for Father’s Day. 

Last month for Mother’s Day, the store included a photo of two moms and their kids. Now they’ve done the same kind of spotlight with two dads:

The booklet, being mailed to customers and also available at the JC Penney website, has a picture of gay couple Todd Koch and Cooper Smith with their children, Claire and Mason, and copy reading, “What makes Dad so cool? He’s the swim coach, tent maker, best friend, bike fixer and hug giver — all rolled into one. Or two.”

JC Penney is rapidly becoming my new favorite store. 

Bloggers supporting Ellen DeGeneres in the war over her partnership with JC Penney have called for a “shop-in” at the store today.

The campaign around the shop-in wants individuals to unite against One Million Moms, the conservative organization calling for Ellen to be fired from her JC Penney gig. 

The campaign encourages people to buy something at JCPenney on Sunday, either in a store or online, or to tweet a photo of themselves in or in front of a JCPenny store (along with the hashtag #jcpshopin).

The story quotes JCPenny’s corporate communications senior manager Kate Coultas as saying, “Standing with our partner Ellen DeGeneres – a person who is renowned for her honesty, integrity, kindness and humor – has been a privilege for all of us at JCPenney. We appreciate all of the kind words and actions in support of our decision.”

Go shopping at JC Penney today! FOR ELLEN! 

Delaware and Hawaii rang in the new year with the state’s first legal civil unions for same-sex couples. Same-sex civil unions took effect in these states on January 1, and couples wasted no time. 

“We really don’t want to wait any longer because we have been together for 33 years waiting for the opportunity and our rights and everything that goes with it,” said Donna Gedge, who was with her partner Monica Montgomery, speaking to CNN affiliate KITV. “So why wait?”

The couple told CNN last week about their plans to stay up late for the ceremony.

With Hawaii and Delaware joining the list Sunday, five states now recognize same-sex civil unions, while six other states and Washington, D.C., allow same-sex marriage, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Such a happy start to the year. Congratulations to all.